


Exist for Love

by LittleRedRoseontheValley (TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns)



Category: It Lives in the Woods (Visual Novel)
Genre: Age Difference, Best Friends, Christmas, F/M, Fluff, Romance, Teen Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:29:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28084716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLifeAndLiesOfFerns/pseuds/LittleRedRoseontheValley
Summary: A boring Christmas party may have the power to bring two people that have been dancing around each other.
Relationships: Connor Green/Main Character (It Lives in the Woods)
Kudos: 4





	Exist for Love

She laughed silently at the words he spoke, excitedly telling a story about his newest installation in Seattle to a group of their friends. A small smile placed unwavering on her lips over his happiness and excitement. Her brown eyes were staring deeply and attentively into his green eyes, a light blush formed on her cheeks. She knows what she went through to be where she was now, and she was happy that she did.

Any time she looked at that man, her heart raced and palms begin to sweat, reminding her of when she was seven and she first met that kid who turned up to become the person in front of her.

She knew she loved him the moment she saw him pass through his mother’s house’s back door, into the yard where she stood. It was the day of his sister’s birthday party, when he emerged with a video camera in hand, dedicated to be the one to register the party.

Whenever they mentioned the occasion, the birthday girl would recall, with amusement and faint childlike contrariety, that she was hardly on the shot at all, her brother followed their friend around the party for the entire afternoon.

Ever since then, her feelings only grew restless, and it has been hard to contain them. She spent the entire summer before her senior year in high school denying her feelings for him, knowing it was bad news to crush on one of her only friends. Knowing it was bad news crushing on a college student. Knowing it was bad news to crush on her best friend’s older brother.

She could not help it, though. How could she not? He was handsome, talented, funny, kind and brave. There was many a girl in Westchester County that felt the same way, why would she be the one who was immune?

She would always think that he did not see her the same or loved her the same way she did. She only thought he saw her as a friend. As his little sister, even. His sister and her were practically siblings themselves, it would not be a jump into extending this kinship to her, too. She thought he was disgusted at the thought of her and him dating.

She could not be more wrong, however.

She began her senior year with the news that he would be dropping off college in California and spending the semester in Westchester. So, she doubled down on her efforts and continued to deny her admiration for him.

She thought that, if only she pushed herself harder in academics and her social life, if she hanged out more with her friends, that silly crush would go away within the first few months of classes.

However, those feelings only grew stronger with her seeing him every day on her way to and from school, every time he would speak to her, smile at her, wink at her, even. The exposition fed into her hopes and dreams, and those damned feelings became stronger and stronger as the days went by.

She realized she loved him on the mayor’s traditional Christmas party. He was not on a good footing with his parents, fighting over his tertiary education, so the two of them spent the night alone together on some corner of the room, while his sister did her very best to distract their attention.

She loved the way he smelled. His smell was almost intoxicating, it calmed her greatly. She wanted to spend eternity wrapped around his arms, being able to bask on the herbal scent of his aftershave.

Sometime before midnight, they fell asleep on the couch, wrapped in each other’s arms, as she claimed she was too cold.

When she awoke, he was still asleep. However, she looked at his sister and she knew that she loved her older brother. She knew the amount of admiration she held for her older brother, and she could not come between it because she also knew of his admiration for his best friend, even if they speak of it.

She did not know about the talk her best friend and her soon-to-be love had.

He was happy she shared the same feelings as him. He was happy that he got his best friends blessing to be with her.

He knew in that moment, after hearing her brother talk about the way he noticed the way she looked at him and how much love her eyes held for him, that he truly loved her and she truly loved him.

He kissed her on Christmas morning in front of every member of their neighbourhood. He would not admit it, but was a nervous wreck. He kissed so many boys and girls before and yet that kissed they shared was so different from any other that came before. This one meant the world to him.

That night, they sneaked out to a clearing a few minutes’ walk behind her house, on the banks of the Columbia river, where they spoke about how much love they held for each other while stargazing the Yuletide constellations.

Her mother would lightly comment on the 26th that young love was beautiful and that he would make a great boyfriend. Her father chuckled and said something about cultural rituals and transition periods that she could not recall, but she knew it meant he was happy for her, on his own geeky way. She limited herself to blush, offering no comments.

Come January, they returned to their own lives in town. First day of classes after the break, he drove her to school. Every student, and part of the faculty, looked in their direction as they arrived on the driveway. Whispers filled with jealousy were thrown at her the entire day by admirers he had before they were an item.

She was too in love to care, too used with the suspicious gaze. Family and close friends of theirs were happy that they were finally together, and that was more than enough.

They held each other whenever one felt sad, angry, happy, confused.

They whispered sweet words to each other whenever one needed reassurance.

They gave each other meaningful smiles, meaningful hugs, kisses that took away the pain and the fear.

They were made for each other and everyone knew it. Any time they stared into each other’s eyes, even after years of being together, they could see all the memories they made together. Just as what they were doing now, as they spoke to each other surrounded by their loved ones.

He loves her.

She loves him.


End file.
